Just wanted to share with all of you, I was recently - a week ago prescribed Effexor Xr by my doc. It has made a world of difference for me. Everyday pain and malaise etc..gone I feel like a different person, happy with energy and feeling well. It is unbelievable. Just wanted to share.

I just read about this medication and it is an antidepressant that does help in supplying the brain with both the sreetonin and the norepinephrine chemicals that we as Fibromyalgia sufferers have depleted. So I am in agreement of this treatment if your doctor and you are seeing good affects from it. There is also another medication that does the same called Duloxetine. Some insurance companies will not go along with these newer drugs until all other medications have failed as what my doctors have said to me. I am on Remeron which I think is starting to work well with me. It starts to replace the norepinephrine and as it is being replaced it slowly helps the seretonin levels to rise more naturally, or that's how I am seeing it but it has taken over a year for this effect.

Jean is correct - Effexor XR (XR for time released) is a drug in the SSNRI category-supplying the brain with both the serotonin and the norepinephrine chemicals that we as Fibromyalgia sufferers have depleted - it also kicks up a small amount of dopamine - another chemical in the brain. I can tell you - befroe taking this I was physically a mess with pain....for example - I love to shop but the pain and fatigue had gotten so bad I could not spend any more than about an hour shopping before I would have to go home and then feel like crap the reest of the day - just yesterday I went shopping for three hours - unbelievable for me and I did not have any pain - except for a sinus headache! LOL Another example - I am not at all stiff after sitting (like going out for dinner) I used to go to get up and everything was stiff and painful...no more. I feel incredibly lucky that this has worked for me. Like I said I feel as if I have a new lease on life! After years of nothing that helped!